International Football History and Statistics

On this day in football history

• 1909 Newcastle United's Albert Shepherd promised that he would leave the field early if he scored a hat trick in his club's Division One match against Notts County. True to his word (well, almost) he left the field with ten minutes of the match remaining after scoring four!
• 1936 Liverpool signed Ray Lambert at the age of just 13 years, 188 days; a record at the time for the youngest signing ever. Although younger players have agreed associations with clubs since Lambert signed in an era when there were no Youth Academies or schoolboy schemes in existence. He remained with Liverpool for 20 years playing in 309 League games and was in Liverpool's 1950 Cup Final side which lost 2-0 to Arsenal. He was capped five times for Wales between 1947 and 1956.
• 1937 Hartson of Mansfield Town allegedly scored seven goals in his club's 8-2 win over Hartlepool in Division Three North. Although contemporary reports record the feat it is mysteriously lacking from present day record books.
• 1971 Peter Bonetti makes his 500th appearance for Chelsea.
• 1975 Due to political unrest on Cyprus Englands European Championship match due to take place is called off.
• 1982 Aberdeen's John Hewitt scored the fastest ever Scottish Cup goal when he netted at Motherwell after just 9.6 seconds.
• 2001 West Ham United's young striker Jermaine Defoe equalled Billy McAdams' and Ron Davies' post-war record of 10 goals in 10 consecutive League matches during the same season whilst on loan at Division Two side AFC Bournemouth. McAdams achieved the record in the 1957-58 season for Manchester City in Division One. Davies matched his feat in the 1966-67 season for Southampton in Division One.